Strong [h.s]

Florida Waits for No One

     Randie's already taken up a conversation with the hostess, a teenage girl with one blonde braid down her back. She's laughing at whatever Randie has said with a goofy grin, looking up to Harry and I as we enter.

     "She's adorable," the girl says, still chuckling.

     "Thank you," Harry and I say simultaneously.

     We're seated, and the place is even more cosy than I expected. There's a fireplace in the corner, and little trinkets and paintings hang on the walls. Harry thanks the waitress as she hands us the menus, her gaze reluctant to be pulled from Randie.

     Harry fixes his hair and slightly lifts his hips to pull his phone from the skin-tight pockets. I glance over and see that he has a picture of me as his lock screen, one that he must have taken himself, since I haven't seen it before. I hold back a grin and turn my attention to the menu.

     "Look a' this text my mom just sent me," Harry says, holding his phone out to me.

     It's a picture of Aideen and Niall relaxing in the sand and laughing. I scroll down to see what Anne wrote to go with it.

     Having fun without you guys! Better hurry before these two soak up all the sun...

     "I didn't know they would be there," I tell Harry.

     He shakes his head and pushes his fallen hair back. "Neither did I, I thought they were headed back to Ireland." He shrugs and chuckles. "Let's show her just how much fun we're having on our own. Ready?" He turns in his chair and brings up the camera on his phone. I get Randie's attention as Harry extends his arm, and we each make a different weird expression as he takes the picture.

     "That'll show 'em," I laugh.

     Harry chuckles and sends the photo to Anne, who sends back an eye-rolling emoji. I twist a bit in my seat when my lower back begins to ache, which Harry must notice, because his hand is soon rubbing small circles into the area.

     "Daddy, I need you to color the trees while I do the sky." Randie rolls a green crayon over to Harry, who picks it up with his free hand.

     "Do you think the sky should be green instead?" He asks, raising one eyebrow.

     Randie laughs and shakes her head. "Trees and grass are green, and the sky is blue."

     "Ahh. . . Okay then, if you're positive." Harry smiles warmly at her and they both begin to color on the page the waitress provided. Even though Harry's attention is turned to Randie, his left hand never leaves my back.

    
     "Do you want me to drive?" I ask as Harry buckles Randie into her car seat.

     He stands up straight and pushes his hair back. "Would you like to? I'm fine either way."

     I nod with a grin. "I've always wanted to drive through the mountains, and you could use some time to rest anyways." This entire region has always fascinated me, and now that I'm here, I want to see as much of it as I can. 

     The keys are soon in my possession and I slide into the driver's seat. Harry searches the trunk for something in his bag as I start the car, glancing up at the mirror to see him pass his phone over to Randie. She accepts it gratefully and Harry shuts her door.